The WCHA Blog will touch on all aspects of Division I NCAA Men's Ice Hockey, but as the name suggests, this blog will primarily focus on the Western Collegiate Hockey Association, which is home to 10 teams that have combined to win a total of 36 national championships since its inception in 1951.

Tuesday, October 23, 2007

WCHA Players of the Week - 10/23

Wisconsin forward Kyle Turris, Colorado College goalie Richard Bachman, and Alaska Anchorage forward Winston DayChief have been named the WCHA Players of the Week.

University of Wisconsin forward Kyle Turris, who topped all league players with eight scoring points while leading the Badgers to a two-game sweep of Robert Morris last weekend, has been named Red Baron WCHA Offensive Player of the Week for Oct. 23-29. A 6-1, 180-pound freshman from New Westminster, B.C., Turris is the top scoring player in both the WCHA and the nation through the first three weeks of the 2007-08 season with 12 points on five goals and seven assists. He is averaging 3.00 points per game and it is believed his 12 points through four games is the best four-game start to a career in UW history. Former Badger and current UW women's hockey coach Mark Johnson began his 1976-77 season with 4-7-11. Turris collected three goals and five assists in Wisconsin's 7-2 and 8-2 victories over Robert Morris on Oct. 19-20. He had two power-play goals and two assists in the Friday victory and then added another power-play goal and three assists in the win last Saturday. In addition to his eight points, Turris fired seven shots on goal and earned a +2 plus-minus rating. Turris was the No. 3 overall pick of Phoenix in last spring's NHL Entry Draft. Also nominated this week were: Chad Rau, F, CC; Brock Trotter, F, DU; and Malcolm Gwilliam, F, MTU. Richard Bachman, a freshman goaltender at Colorado College, has been named Red Baron WCHA Defensive Player of the Week for Oct. 23-29 as a result of his outstanding play in a weekend sweep of two-time defending conference champion Minnesota. A 5-10, 172-pound freshman from Highlands Ranch, Colo., Bachman stopped 61 of 63 shots on goal (.968 saves percentage) and posted five shutout periods, including one overtime, while backstopping the host Tigers to a 3-1 victory over the Golden Gophers last Friday (Oct. 19) and a 2-1 overtime win last Saturday (Oct. 20). They were his first two collegiate starts. Bachman had 23 stops in the series opener and then came back with 38 saves in the series finale as CC swept UM at home for the first time since Feb. 5-6, 1999 and handed UM it's first road sweep since Feb. 27-28, 2004 at Denver. In addition, Bachman, an NHL draft choice of Dallas, also played a key role in the Tigers' success on the penalty-kill against Minnesota, as CC held their opponents scoreless on all 11 power-play opportunities over the weekend. Also nominated this week were: Michael-Lee Teslak, G, MTU; Alex Stalock, G, UMD; and Jean-Philippe Lamoureux, G, UND. University of Alaska Anchorage forward Winston DayChief, who factored in both game-winning goals as the host Seawolves posted a two-game home-ice sweep over in-state rival Alaska Fairbanks last weekend, has been named Red Baron WCHA Rookie of the Week for Oct. 23-29. A 6-1, 195-pound freshman from Standoff, Alberta, DayChief extended his point-scoring streak to four games by tallying two goals and adding one assist as the Seawolves continued their strong start to the 2007-08 season and pushed their record to 3-0-1 overall. DayChief assisted on teammate Tommy Grant's third period game-winner at 16:25 of the third period last Friday (Oct. 19) evening as UAA skated past the Nanooks, 4-3, at Sullivan Arena in Anchorage. He then came back on Saturday (Oct. 20) night to score two goals, including the eventual game-winner at 18:56 of the second period, as Alaska Anchorage completed the series sweep over UAF with a 5-3 triumph. Through the first three weeks of the campaign, DayChief is tied for fourth overall in scoring among WCHA rookies with 3-2-5 in four games, averaging 1.25 points per game. Also nominated this week were: Eric Kattelus, F, MTU; Cade Fairchild, D, UM; and Patrick Johnson, F, UW.